Closing apparatus for cartoner

ABSTRACT

AN APPARATUS FOR CLOSING THE TUCK FLAP OF A CARTON WHILE THE CARTON IS BEING TRANSPORTED UPON A CONTINUOUSLY MOVING CONVEYOR, THE APPARATUS INCLUDES A PAIR OF PLOWS FOR PARTIALLY CLOSING THE CARTON AND AN ANGULATED BELT WHICH ENGAGES THE TUCK FLAP TO FORCE IT INTO THE CARTON.

INVENTORS Q ywf Jan. 1971 v w Q DAILY ET AL l cLoSiNG APPARATUS FOR cARToNE Filed Deo. 4, 1968 3,552,094 CLOSING APPARATUS FOR CARTONER William C. Daily, Covington, and Wesley J. Rece, Jr., California, Ky., assgnors to R. A. Jones & Co., Inc.,

Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Kentucky Filed Dec. 4', 1968, Ser. N0. 781,013

Int. Cl. B65b 7/26 U.S. Cl. 53--376 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for closing the tuck iiap of a carton while the carton is being transported upon a continuously moving conveyor. The apparatus includes a pair of plows for partially closing the carton and an angulated belt which engages the tuck iiap to force it into the carton.

This invention lrelates to automatic or semi-automatic cartoners and more particularly the invention relates to H a method and apparatus for closing cartons by inserting a tuck panel into the carton and driving it into closed position.

`In the apparatus to which the invention is directed, cartons are opened from a fiat state in which they are shipped and are conveyed fin buckets or between transport lugs on an endless conveyor. The cartons lmay be either horizontally or vertically oriented and are filled either manually or automaticaly With `the desired contents. The carton end structure is folded to closed condition by the apparatus of the present invention. The carton end structure normally includes two side flaps hinged to the side walls of the carton and a tuck ap which includes an end panel hinged to one wall of the carton and a tuck panel hinged to the end panel.

In general there are two ways to close such a carton. Where the tolerances are such that there is a sloppy iit between the carton walls and the tuck panel, the carton can be closed simply by plowing the tuck ilap into closed position. The plowing to closed position is effected by conveying the carton past stationary plows whose surfaces engage and bend the tuck ap into final position.

Plowing a tuck flap to closed position is not feasible in high-speed apparatus wherein there are close tolerances between the carton walls and the tuck flap. The frictional forces resisting introduction of the tuck panel into the carton cause a bunching or crumpling of the tuck flap during the closing operation. IIt has therefore been the practice to provide a more certain or reliable closure apparatus even though such apparatus requires a complex of moving elements. These elements, driven through an oil gear box containing a cluster of gears, perform the follow-ing four functions:

(l) Elements pre-break the score lines of the tuck ap;

(2) A thin blade is inserted into the carton and forms a wall along which the tuck panel is guided;

(3) Elements insert a corner of the tuck panel; and then (4) Elements finally drive the tuck panel fully into the carton.

An objective of the present invention has been to provide a new flap closing apparatus which provides a superior closing operation while eliminating the complexity and expense of the apparatus which performs multiple closing operations.

This objective of the invention is attained by providling, as iinal closing apparatus, an endless belt whose lower night engages the tuck flap, the lower ll'ight being angulated in both longitudinal and transverse directions to apply a controlled wiping force to the tuck flap which avoids crumpling and bunching at the hinge line.

v"United StatesV Patent O 3,552,094 Patented Jan. 5, 1971 ICC In the preferred form of the invention, the linear `speed of the belt is slightly greater than the linear speed of the carton so that as the belt and carton move together, the belt exerts a slight wiping action in the longitudinal direction due to the higher speed and exerts a slight wiping action in the transverse direction, that is, from the hinge line of the tuck flap toward the tuck panel, due to the transverse angulation of the belt.

In operation, a conveyor grasps a carton and conveys it through a tuck ap pre-break plow and a tuck ilap starting plow which sequentially fold the tuck panel with respect to the end panel along their common score line and then partially insert the tuck panel into the carton. With the tuck panel partially inserted, the conveyor which securely holds the carton brings the carton into enagernent with the lower iiight of the overhead belt.

The downward angle of the belt forces the tuck panel into the carton and the linear overspeed of the belt forces the end panel slightly ahead of the carton so that the trailing edge of the tuck panel can reliably enter the carton unhindered by the cartons trailing side wall. The transverse angulation of the belt attempts to pull the end panel forwardly, that is, away from its hinge line to avoid crowding of the end panel toward its Ihinge line.

Prior to the engagement of the tuck flap by the belt, it must be broken on its two scorelines, that is the scoreline between the rear wall and end panel and the scoreline between the lend panel and the tuck panel. These breaks must be made in order to begin the insertion of the tuck panel into the end of the carton prior to its engagement by the belt. Not only must the scorelines be broken, but they must be broken rather precisely for any canting or angulation of the scorelines will result in a failure of proper closing of the carton. It has, therefore, been an objective of the invention to provide, in combination with the belt closing apparatus, a plow structure for breaking the scorelines. This objective is attained by providing for a sequential breaking of the scorelines, and more particularly by pre-breaking the scoreline between the tuck panel and end panel while maintaining the end panel in the plane of the wall to which it iS hinged. This co-planar relationship between end panel and carton wall provides a resistance against twisting of the end flap due to the frictional plowing force of drag applied to it during gthe pre-break operation.

Thereafter the scoreline between the end panel and carton wall is broken, while guiding the tuck panel barely into the carton ready for engagement by the belt.

The objectives of this invention along with its advantages will become more apparent when considered in combination with the fol-lowing detailed description of the accompanying drawings of which: f

FIG; l is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a llap closure apparatus, constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, attached to a portion of a carton conveyor of a conventional packaging apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic top plan View of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 through 6` are diagrammatic cross-sectional views taken along lines 3 3 through 6 6 of FIG. 1 illustrating the sequential steps necessary for preparing a carton flap of the nal closing to be completed by the principles of this invention; and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a carton illustrating the vectors applied to the end panel during the final flap tucking operation.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION The apparatus of the invention is indicated generally at 10 and is shown in association with cartons 11 which the apparatus is to close. The cartons are shown in a vertical attitude but it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to horizontally conveyed cartons. The carton 11, as can best be seen in FIG. l, has a pair of side walls 12-12 joined by a front wall 13 and a rear wall 14. The side walls 12 have integrally formed side flaps 15-15, and the rear wall 14 has an integral tuck ap or closure flap 16 hinged thereto along a score line 20. The tuck flap 16 includes an end panel 17 and a tuck panel 18, the tuck panel being hinged along score line 19 t0 the end panel. The ends of the score line 19 may be cut as at 21 to provide a pair of locking slits 22-22.

After filling and certain preliminary closing operations, the carton 11 is conveyed by the apparatus 10 as shown at the right side of FIG. 1, that is, with the side flaps 15-15 folded inwardly and the closure flap 16 held vertically with respect to the rear wall 14.

The apparatus 10 includes a carton conveyor 25, located below a flap pre-break plow 26 and a ap closure plow 27 which bends the tuck panel 18 forwardly to begin the closing operation. Downstream of the plows 26, 27 and also above the conveyor is a final flap tuck station which has as its main component an endless belt 28. The belt 28 has a linear speed slightly in excess (approximately 5 to 10%) of the linear speed of the conveyor 25. This belt 28 is oriented with respect to the conveyor 25 to provide an acute longitudinal angle 29 (FIG. l) and an acute transverse or lateral angle (FIG. 2). The angle 29 is approximately 5 and the angle 30 is approximately 3.

Cartons 11 are conveyed through the apparatus 10 by the conveyor 25 to sequentially: pre-break and over fold the tuck panel 18 along score line 19 while maintaining the end panel in the plane of rear wall 14; plow the closure flap 16 downwardly with respect to the rear wall along its hinge line with rear wall 14 so that the attached tuck panel 18 is partially inserted into the carton; and to tuck the panel 18 fully into the carton so that it may be locked therein by the lock slits 22-22, these functions being accomplished respectively by the prebreak plow 26, the closure plow 27 and the tuck belt 28.

The longitudinal angle 29 forces the tuck panel 18 into the carton and the transverse angle 30 forces the flap away from its hinge line to preclude crowding of the end ap at its hinge line, and the linear overspeed of the belt 28 assists the angles in tucking the panel 18 into the carton. That is, the belt drives the end panel 17 forwardly with respect to the carton 11, thus assisting the trailing portion of the tuck panel 18 to enter the carton. The closed carton is then deposited on a discharge conveyor 25 to be transported from the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE APPARATUS The conveyor 25 driven by means (not shown) is a conventional platform conveyor. As can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveyor includes three vertically oriented endless chains which carry a plurality of transport lugs 31 and 32. These lugs 31 and 32 extend laterally from the chains and overhang a platform 33 which is substantially flush with an upper run 34 of belt 35 which forms the discharge conveyor 24.

As stated above, the three chains are vertically oriented and, as can best be seen in FIG. 2, the transport lugs 31 of the centrally disposed chain form a bracket or support for the leading side wall of the carton 11 while the lugs 32 of upper and lower chains form a bracket or support for the trailing side wall. Thus oriented, the transport lugs 31, 32 positively grasp the carton 11 and hold it firmly during the Hap closure operation to be accomplished by the various stations 26, 27 and 28 as the carton is being conveyed therethrough.

The leading lugs 31 are shiftable with respect to the trailing lugs 32 by shifting the center chain and its sprocket (not shown) with respect to the upper and lower chains. Shifting of the lugs 31 with respect to the lugs 32 makes the conveyor 25 adaptable for cartons of various widths. Cartons of various depths are accommodated by the lengths of the laterally disposed lugs 31, 32 and the transverse dimensional size of the platform 33, while cartons of various heights are accommodated by rasing or lowering the platform 33.

As previously stated, the pre-break plow 26 is effective to over fold the tuck panel 18 with respect to the closure ap 16. That is, an acute angle is formed between the tuck panel 18 and the end panel 17. Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, the prebreak plow 26 includes an upper tuck plow 36 having a downwardly angulated plow blade 37 at its downstream end and a rearwardly angulated tab 38 at its upstream end. The plow 26 also includes a lower closure flap front brace 39 having a forwardly angulated tab 40 at its upstream end and an elongated flat rear flap brace 41. The brace 39 is substantially parallel to the brace 41 and spaced therefrom a suicient distance to permit the flap 16 to pass therebetween and to maintain the end panel in the plane of the rear wall 14 to which it is hinged. Additionally, the top edge of the brace 39 is co-linear with the score line 19 of the carton 11. The tabs 38 and 40 of the plow 36 and brace 39 are oriented with respect to each other to form a flap guide or mouth 42 (FIG. 2). Downstream from the mouth 42, the downwardly angulated plowing blade 37 overbangs the brace 39 and cooperates therewith to form a tuck flap throat 43.

A carton is conveyed through the plow 26 so that its ap 16 is fed into the mouth 42. In this manner, the tuck panel 18 passes in front of the tab 38 of plow 36 and behind the tab 40 of brace 39 and the top edge of the brace 39 is aligned with the score line 19. Thus, conveyance of the carton through the plow 26 causes the tuck panel 18 to be folded along score line 19 by the co-action of braces 36 and 39, the back-up brace 41 and the plowing blade 37, see FIGS. 3 and 4. That is, the blade 37 is effective to force the panel 18 down and bend it along the score line 19 over the brace 39 while the brace 39 and the back-up plate 41 hold the panel 17 in a vertical attitude. As the carton is moved farther through the plow 26, the plowing blade 37 continues its folding of the ap so as to over fold it as it is forced through the throat 43.

It is desirable than the panel 18 be over folded to form an acute angle at this stage of the closure operation because of the resiliency of the paper carton. That is, the panel 18 has a tendency to return to its original attitude unless the paper is broken along the score line by over folding it. If the paper were not broken along the score line 19, the panel 18 could spring back and form an obtuse angle with the panel 17 and thus would be forced down along the outside edge of the front wall and the carton would not be closed. Additionally, this breaking of the resiliency of the paper at the score line 19 enables the tuck flap to be more easily handled during the inal tuck operation.

The plow station 27 comprises a pair of flap guides 50, 51. As best seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6, the guide is positioned to guide the panel 17 and the guide 51 is positioned to guide the tuck panel 18. As shown in FIG. 1, the guide 50 is generally triangular in contiguration and outlined along its forward edge to provide a curvilinear ap guiding edge 52, a straight marginal edge 53 along its rear surface, a pointed end 54 at its upstream end, and a base section 55 along its downstream end. The guide 50 is supported along its rear edge 53 by means (not shown) to overhang the conveyor platform 33.

The tuck flap guide 51 (also supported by means not shown) is positioned below and substantially forward of the guide 50. This guide 51 is an elongated strip 56 which has its upstream end 54 ared outwardly and is tapered at its downstream end 58. The downstream taper of strip 56 underlies the belt 28 and parallels the angle 29.

Cartons are conveyed below the plow 27 with their upstanding closure flap 16 passing in front of the pointed end 54 of the guide S0. Thus oriented, continued movement of the carton through the plow 27 causes the panel 17 to become engaged with the curvilinear edge 52 which in turn directs the panel 17 toward its closed attitude by plowing or forcing it beneath the guide 50 (FIG. 5). While the panel 17 is being forced closed by the guide 50, the movement of the carton through the plow station causes the pre-bent tuck panel 18 to pass behind the ared end 57 of the guide `51 and subsequently behind the elongated strip portion 56 of the guide 51. A downwardly angled portion of the guide 50` in cooperation with the strip -6 of guide 51 starts the tuck panel 18 into the body of the carton (FIG. 6). While in this partially closed condition, the carton engages the angulated lower ght -60 of the belt 28 at the flap tuck station.

As mentioned above, this station has as its principal element an endless belt 28. This belt 28 is wrapped around a driven drum 62 at its downstream end and an upstream idler drum 63. The idler drum 63 is substantially smaller in diameter than the drum 52, and because they are located on the same horizontal center line, their radial dimensional diiferenees create the longitudinal angle 29 with respect to the conveyor platform. The transverse axes of the drums 62, 63 parallel each other and are angulated with respect to the carton conveyor to form the transverse angle 30.

The flap tucking belt 28 has a linear speed slightly in excess of the conveyors linear speed. To this end, the belt 28` is driven by a chain and sprocket speed increasing mechanism 66. The speed increasing mechanism 66 in turn is driven from the conveyor drive (not shown) of the apparatus by a drive chain 67.

Partially closed cartons conveyed beneath the belt 28 are completely closed and locked by the force of the belt on the tuck flap, the force including longitudinal and transverse wiping actions provided by: the longitudinal angle 29 which urges the closure ilap down into the carton; the transverse angle 30 which tends to force the closure flap forwardly and thus avoid crowding of the end panel 17 along its hinge line 20; and the linear overspeed of the belt which forces the closure flap 17 and attached tuck panel 18 downstream slightly with respect to the carton so that the trailing edge of the tuck ap can reliably enter the carton.

Ascan best be seen with reference to FIG. 7, the belts transverse angle 30 and the belt overspeed combine to provide a force vector in the direction of arrow 70 on the closure flap 17, while the flap is forced downwardly into the carton by the longitudinal angle 29 as a result of the carton being conveyed through the closure station in the direction of arrow 71. While moving in the direction of arrow 71, the closure flap 17 is forced forwardly because of the linear overspeed of belt 28, thus providing a very eiTective means for inserting the trailing edge of the tuck panel 18 into the carton 11 to insure that both of the lock slits 22 are properly engaged by the side-flaps 15.- With the carton closed, it is forced onto the take-olf conveyor 24.

For the sake of clarity the invention has been described and will be claimed in relation to the closing of a vertical carton. It is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to a horizontally oriented carton, the closing apparatus being disposed at right angles to its present position for that application.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. Apparatus for closing cartons, each of which has a tuck flap including an end panel hinged to one wall of said carton and a tuck panel hinged along a scoreline to said end panel and adapted to be tucked into said carton, the apparatus including a conveyor having a linear section for conveying cartons linearly past a closing mechanism, said closing mechanism comprising,

a pre-break plow including means for bending said tuck panel upon its scoreline while maintaining said end panel in the plane of the wall to which it is hinged,

said pre-break plow having front and rear braces between which said end panel passes to maintain said end panel in the plane of the wall to which it is hinged,

a downwardly angulated plowing blade overhanging said front brace to bend said tuck panel over said front brace through an angle greater than means for bending said end panel over the end of said carton while guiding said tuck flap into the open of said carton,

an endless belt overlying said conveyor and engageable by said end panel,

said belt having a lower flight inclined downwardly in the direction of movement of the conveyor,

means for driving said belt to move said lower flight generally in the direction of movement of said conveyor to force said tuck panel fully into said carton.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

means for guiding said tuck panel into said carton as said carton passes under said belt.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said lower ight of said belt lies at an acute transverse angle to the direction of movement of said conveyor.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, in `which said lower llight of said belt denes an acute longitudinal angle with the direction of movement of said conveyor, and an acute transverse angle to the direction of movement of said conveyor.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said longitudinal angle is approximately 5.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said transverse angle is approximately 3 7. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the linear speed of said lower ilight is approximately 5 to 10 percent faster than said conveyor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,935,918 5/1960 Goss 53-376X 2,224,716 12/ 1940 Anderson 53--376 2,971,443 2/1961 Striplin 53-376X 3,131,524 5/1964 Peppler et al. 53-376 3,456,426 7/ 1969 Fahey 5.3-376 TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner 

